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Donald Trump tours world as home trouble mounts

Updated on: 21 May,2017 10:06 AM IST  |  Riyadh
Agencies |

Saudi King presents Trump with top civilian honour, signs USD 110bn arms deal

Donald Trump tours world as home trouble mounts

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's king presents US President Donald Trump with the kingdom's top civilian honour. King Salman decorated Trump with the gold King Abdulaziz medal at the Saudi royal court. Pic/AFP


US President Donald Trump launched an eight-day foreign tour in Saudi Arabia yesterday, taking his first steps on the world stage as scandals mount at home.


The US president was given a warm welcome in the oil-rich kingdom — a mood in sharp contrast to Washington where pressure is building after fresh claims over his team's alleged links to Moscow.


The White House also announced a USD 110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The arms sale agreement was just one of a series of deals to be announced during the visit, with US conglomerate General Electric saying it had also signed agreements and memorandums of understanding worth USD 15 billion.

"This package of defence equipment and services support the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian threats," a White House official said in announcing the deal.

Trump held talks with Salman and was to meet the kingdom's two powerful crown princes yesterday, before giving a speech on Islam to leaders of Muslim countries on Sunday.

For Riyadh the visit is an opportunity to rebuild ties with a key ally, strained under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama who Sunni Arab Gulf states suspected of a tilt towards their Shiite regional rival Iran.

Shortly after arriving Trump took to Twitter to express his delight. "Great to be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Looking forward to the afternoon and evening ahead," Trump wrote.

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